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Events · head to head

ACTIVE Network vs Eventbrite

ACTIVE Network logo

ACTIVE Network

Events

Registration and payment software for parks departments, races and camps, owned by Global Payments

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Eventbrite logo

Eventbrite

Webinars

Where event planners thrive

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Eventbrite has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ACTIVE Network revenue comes from registration processing rather than licence fees, so the vendor is aligned with transaction volume and not with the quality of the administrative experience.; Eventbrite service fees total 6.59% + $1.79 per ticket (3.7% service + 2.9% payment processing), among the highest in the industry
  • They diverge on capability: ACTIVE Network covers ACTIVENet, Eventbrite covers Event Discovery.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ACTIVE Network and Eventbrite actually diverge.

Attributes where ACTIVE Network and Eventbrite differ
AttributeACTIVE NetworkEventbrite
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
Free tierNoYes
CategoryEventsWebinars
FoundedUnknown2006

Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in ACTIVE Network

  • ACTIVENet
  • ACTIVEWorks Endurance
  • Camp and Class Manager
  • Participant-paid fees
  • Facility and league scheduling
  • ACTIVE.com listing

Only in Eventbrite

  • Event Discovery
  • Ticketing
  • Event Management
  • Marketing Tools
  • Analytics
  • Virtual Events
  • Mailchimp
  • Salesforce

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

ACTIVE Network

  • A city parks department taking swim lesson, camp and league registrations online with fees passed to residentsnot Eventbrite
  • A race director who wants registration, bib assignment and a consumer listing from one vendornot Eventbrite
  • A YMCA needing membership, childcare billing and facility booking in one systemnot Eventbrite
  • An agency with no software budget that can fund registration through participant-paid processing feesnot Eventbrite

Eventbrite

  • Selling tickets for concerts, festivals and nightlife eventsnot ACTIVE Network
  • Running conferences and corporate events with registrationnot ACTIVE Network
  • Nonprofit fundraising eventsnot ACTIVE Network
  • Reserved seating and timed entry admissionnot ACTIVE Network
  • Promoting events through the Eventbrite marketplace and paid adsnot ACTIVE Network

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

ACTIVE Network

  • Revenue comes from registration processing rather than licence fees, so the vendor is aligned with transaction volume and not with the quality of the administrative experience.
  • Passing the processing fee to participants is normal practice, which makes the cost invisible on the agency budget and visible to residents as a service charge at checkout.
  • The ACTIVENet codebase is long-lived and parts of the administrative interface remain dated, with upgrade cycles driven by the parent rather than by agency requests.
  • Support responsiveness is a persistent complaint among municipal customers, and escalation paths are slower than in a standalone software vendor.
  • Because Global Payments owns the merchant relationship, moving off ACTIVE means changing processor as well as software, which usually requires a procurement process rather than a simple switch.

Eventbrite

  • Service fees total 6.59% + $1.79 per ticket (3.7% service + 2.9% payment processing), among the highest in the industry
  • Holds 20% of net sales in reserve until event completion and delays payout 3 days after event, creating cash flow problems for organizers
  • Limited event page customization with no white-label option and events must be registered on eventbrite.com domain

Pricing, plan by plan

ACTIVE Network

On request
  • ACTIVENet$undefined/year
    • Registration, facility and membership modules
    • Revenue derived primarily from registration processing fees
    • Fee can be absorbed by the agency or passed to the participant
  • Camp and Class Manager$undefined/year
    • Flat rate or per registration fee model
    • Rates quoted per account, not published
  • ACTIVEWorks Endurance$undefined/year
    • Race registration priced on a per registration fee
    • ACTIVE.com listing included

Eventbrite

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited free events
    • No platform fees for free events
  • Pro$15/month
    • Email marketing
    • Custom branding
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose ACTIVE Network if

  • You need activenet.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want activeworks endurance.
ACTIVE Network review

Choose Eventbrite if

  • You need event discovery.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want ticketing.
Eventbrite review

Questions people ask

Is ACTIVE Network or Eventbrite better?
Neither clearly leads. ACTIVE Network starts at On request and Eventbrite at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ACTIVE Network or Eventbrite?
Eventbrite has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for ACTIVE Network and Free for Eventbrite.
Does ACTIVE Network or Eventbrite run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Eventbrite for free?
Yes. Eventbrite has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ACTIVE Network starts at On request.
What is ACTIVE Network best used for?
ACTIVE Network is most often used for a city parks department taking swim lesson, camp and league registrations online with fees passed to residents, a race director who wants registration, bib assignment and a consumer listing from one vendor, a ymca needing membership, childcare billing and facility booking in one system, an agency with no software budget that can fund registration through participant-paid processing fees. Of those, a city parks department taking swim lesson, camp and league registrations online with fees passed to residents and a race director who wants registration, bib assignment and a consumer listing from one vendor are not what Eventbrite is typically brought in for.
What can ACTIVE Network do that Eventbrite cannot?
ACTIVE Network covers ACTIVENet, ACTIVEWorks Endurance, Camp and Class Manager, Participant-paid fees. Eventbrite covers Event Discovery, Ticketing, Event Management, Marketing Tools.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ACTIVE Network: Who owns ACTIVE Network?

Global Payments, which acquired it in 2017 for around 1.2 billion US dollars. It sits in the merchant solutions business.

Eventbrite: Is Eventbrite free for hosting free events?

Yes, Eventbrite is completely free for events with free tickets. You can publish unlimited free events with no platform fees, service fees, or payment processing fees. Features like custom branding and advanced analytics are only available on paid plans.

Source
ACTIVE Network: How does ACTIVE make money?

Primarily from registration processing fees, charged as a percentage plus a fixed amount per registration.

Eventbrite: What are the fees for paid-ticket events in the US?

Eventbrite charges 3.7% plus $1.79 per ticket sold, plus 2.9% payment processing fee per order. Organizers can pass these fees to attendees or absorb them.

Source
ACTIVE Network: Can we absorb the fee instead of charging residents?

Yes, the agency chooses. Most pass it to the participant, which is why registrants see a service fee.

Eventbrite: When do I receive payments from ticket sales?

Payouts are sent 3 days after your event ends (or on a custom schedule if you set one), and funds appear in your bank account within 5 business days in the US or 7 days internationally. Eventbrite also holds 20% in reserve until after the event to cover refunds and chargebacks.

Source
ACTIVE Network: Is pricing published?

No. Both licence and processing rates are quoted per account.

Eventbrite: Can I customize branding on my event page?

Customization is limited to basic colors and images. You cannot white-label the event page or remove Eventbrite branding, and all registration flows pass through Eventbrite's domain, not your own.

Source
Eventbrite: Does Eventbrite offer an API for integrations?

Yes, Eventbrite provides an OAuth API for developers to build custom integrations. Full documentation is available on their platform portal with support for app authentication and API keys.

Source
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